1. US20020194991 - Method and device for cleaning air in a compressed air system

1. A method of cleaning air in a compressed air system, characterized by consecutively passing the air through the following media:

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the pre-filter ( 6), which has the purpose of preventing larger particles, free water, and liquids/substances from passing, has a good efficiency for larger particles, such as larger than 5 μm, but limited efficiency for smaller particles.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that use is made of silica gel with large pores ( 7) for preventing larger carbon compounds and other chemical compounds from passing and for taking up water in liquid form and of silica gel with fine pores ( 8) for preventing smaller carbon compounds from passing and for taking up water in vapor form.

4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the silica gel with larger pores ( 7) has a typical pore size of 120-130 Å.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the molecular sieve ( 9) in a per se known way is Zeolit®.

6. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the fine filter ( 10), which has the purpose of taking up small particles generated in previous media, may be manufactured by polyester or alternatively by polypropylene, wool, and viscose and has a typical efficiency of at least 30% for 0.4 μm particles.

7. Use of the method as defined in any of the preceding claims in a compressed air system for automotive application.

8. A device for carrying out the method as defined in any of the preceding claims, in which a cartridge, which is intended for a conventional air dryer to be mounted in the compressed air system after the compressor, has a cylindrical housing ( 1) provided with a cylindrical dividing wall ( 2) dividing the housing in an annular outer compartment and a cylindrical central compartment, characterized in that the pre-filter ( 6) and the silica gel ( 7, 8) are arranged in the outer compartment and the molecular sieve ( 9) and the fine filter ( 10) in the central compartment.